


A Hop, Skip, and a Leap Away from Home

by Huntchaser



Series: unfinished works [4]
Category: NCIS, NCIS: New Orleans, Quantum Leap
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Chapter summaries are from the point of view of the character listed in the chapter title, Ellie is the new leaper cause why not, F/M, Gen, Sam Leaps Home AU, Sam is Pride
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-16 06:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7256908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntchaser/pseuds/Huntchaser
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam Beckett never leaped home... That's what they wanted us to think, but he did leap home. He's been hiding right in plain sight. Now he's off to train the next leaper, solve navy crimes, deal with an ex-wife and a daughter, and a new girlfriend.</p><p>Oh Boy...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sam: Homecoming is a Leap Away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MeredithBrody](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeredithBrody/gifts).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home's a funny word, because it's not just a place. It's a feeling or a person, I learned that while leaping. Thankfully, I'm finding my way home with a nice guiding light called Albert Calavicci.

_ “Al… I'm not…” The brunet man stumbled into the hologram and passing right through him. _

_ “Sam?” His cigar wielding hologram partner ran over to look at him. _

_ “I'm not feelin’ so hot.” The brunette fell over and groaned loudly. _

_ “Sam! Sam! Someone get a medic in here!” Al yelled to the people in the imaging chamber, who were imaginary to Sam. _

_ “It… It won't help. You're a hologram remember, A-Al?” Sam groaned from his spot on the floor, head pounding more than a drum. _

_ “Dammit Sam!” _

_ “Sorry, Al.” Sam softly laughed as he felt his body preparing himself to leap. He was cloaked in a blue light, and then he was gone. _

_ “Sam! Dammit. Ziggy find him!” _

* * *

 

Sam Beckett sat up in his bed, panting and sweating. That dream had plagued him for years, ever since he had gotten so sick during a leap he almost died. Everytime he woke up he was hoping to be back with Al, but all he ended up being was still in New Orleans. He was happy here, he had a family, friends, a good job, and a home. A body that was his in the past was once his again, but he wasn't living a life that was his own, he wasn't Sam Beckett. He was Dwayne Cassius Pride. He was being hidden by the government and living a life that wasn't fully his just so no one knew time travel had been discovered and invented.

He padded down the stairs into the kitchen like a tired bear just waking up from hibernation. “Pride? What's got you up?” The female’s voice caught his ears and he looked up from his single cup of coffee.

He furrowed his eyebrows and looked up to see Merri, his partner and trusted friend. “What?” He tiredly croaked, sniffling a little.

Merri crossed her arms, looking at the man. “You need to be in bed. You're sick.”

“No. I need to find Al.” Sam grumbled, walking past Merri when she grabbed his arm.

“Dwayne.”

“Merri.”

She rolled his eyes and looked at him. “I'll do it for you. What's his name?”

“No. It's classified. Eyes Only.” Sam sniffled, glaring at Merri and coughing. “I gotta find Al.”

Merri stepped in front of Pride, pursing her lips together. “Pride, get some rest. I promise I'll help you later.” She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead and sighed. “You've got a fever. Come on, go. Before I make Sonja bring you her vegan chicken soup.” He nodded and attempted to grab the coffee cup before his hand was slapped away from it. “I'm grabbing you tea. Go to bed.”

“Fine. What are you, Ziggy?” He mumbled below his breath, stalking back up to his room and collapsing on the bed. He sleepily closed his eyes, listening to the soft sounds of the city in the background. It didn't sound anything like Elk Ridge, he missed his hometown dearly but hadn't been there since his leap into Willie in ‘92.

“Dwayne? I brought you some tea.” He could hear Merri’s soft footsteps, ones that almost reminded him of Donna. He missed Donna so much these days, Linda would never have been able to make up for it, even with Laurel, who he loved so much. “Sit up, lazybones. You need to take the flu medicine now.”

He sat up a little and made a face at the pink liquid medicine. “Really?”

“It was the only one in the cabinet. LaSalle must've left it here last time he was sick.” Merri replied, handing him the tiny plastic medicine shot glass. “Take it and you get tea.”

“Okay. Fine.” Sam took the medicine into his hands and swallowed it all, almost gagging on it. He looked up and handed her the empty cup, smirking. “Give it.” She gave him the mug and he sipped at it happily. “Thank you.”

Merri sighed and looked at him. “Go back to sleep.”

“No. You told me you'll help me later. Get me my laptop.” Sam ordered, watching her. He held out his hands, shuffling so his legs were under the blanket.

“No.” She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and looking at Sam.

“That is helping me.” Sam replied, reaching out his hands. “Come on, you promised.”

Merri huffed and growled. “Fine.” She handed him the laptop reluctantly and rolled her eyes. “Want more help?” She asked, looking at him with a soft sort of smile.

He patted the bed next to him. “Since you've taken to playing nurse, sure.”

Sam watched as Merri sat on the bed and made herself comfortable. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and sighed. “Can I ask you a question?”

“You just did, Merri.” The doctor smiled, running a hand through her hair.

“Whenever you're sick, you always want to find these people we've never heard of. Why?”

Sam considered her question for a moment, letting out a sigh. “They're old friends and well, I would explain more but it's really Top Secret level stuff you don't have access to.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. “Dwayne?”

“Mhm.” Sam sniffled, typing away at the laptop.

“Love you.”

“Love you too, Merri.” He replied, holding her close. He hated that he only knew her as Dwayne Pride and not who he really was, Sam Beckett. It always sounded wrong to him, but he had gotten used to it. Maybe one day he would tell her, but for now, he was Pride and always would be.

Before he knew it, Merri was asleep and he was still looking for his fellow Project Quantum Leap co-workers. He ran a hand through her hair, hoping to find something, anything, and that was when he did.

“Merri, wake up.” He gently urged her. “Merri.”

He shook the sleeping woman a little and watched as her eyes fluttered open. “What?”

“I found something.” He smiled widely, kissing her forehead. “I need-” his words were broken by a cough. “I need to talk to someone.”

“You're still sick. Want me to grab the phone?” Merri asked, pressing her hand to his forehead. “King, your fever hasn't gone down.”

“Well no shit, I'm a medical doctor I know these things.” Sam accidentally slipped out, then sneezing.

“Bless you. What did you say?” It was as if Merri forgot what he said after he sneezed.

Sam quickly recovered and realized she didn't notice what he said. “Nothing. Grab me my phone?”

“Yeah. It's downstairs. I'll go get it.” Merri got out of the bed and made her way downstairs.

“Now what does Bishop have to do with this? God I miss Ziggy for helping me with this kind of stuff.” Sam said, looking at the laptop’s screen. Bishop hadn't been read in until recently, but it hadn't made sense to him why. The project had been closed years ago, several people associated with the project had died for all he knew.

Merri returned with the cell phone and left so he could make the calls in private. He dialed in a number and pressed the call button, taking a deep breath as he did.

“Hello? Is this Admiral Calvicci’s office?” Sam asked, chewing his lip.

“This is the Admiral’s office. What can I do for you?” The person on the other side of the call replied.  

“I'd like to speak to the Admiral. Tell him Doctor Beckett needs to talk to him.” He replied, dropping the slight accent he had developed while he lived in New Orleans.

“Please hold.” The woman replied.

“Oh boy…” Sam to listened to silence as he waited for Al, nervousness filling his stomach.

“Hello?” Al’s voice was more tired than usual, but it still sounded all the same.

“Al! It's me, Sam.” Sam excitedly replied, almost bouncing out of bed. “Oh god, I've missed the sound of your voice.”

“Sam?” His best friend’s voice picked up in a lighter tone. “Sam, you're alive? You sound like yourself, Sam!”

Both the men were almost on the verge of tears. “Oh, Al, God I missed you, buddy.”

“Yeah me too. Thanks for makin’ me think you were dead for so long.” Al replied with a teasing tone.

Sam laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, but the government seems to think I needed to go into hiding for a while.”

“Well it would've been nice if you called sooner, Sammy-boy.” Al replied, just happy to hear his old friend’s voice.

“Al, don't call me that.” Sam rolled his eyes and sighed. He had always hated Al’s nicknames for him.

“Alright. How about Doctor Beckett?”

“No one’s called me that in so long.” The last time he had been called that was when he and Al had switched places during a leap. He didn’t know how long it had been since then.

“What do they call you now?”

“Special Agent Dwayne Pride, King’s my nickname.” He explained with a smile and a sniffle. “I’m the king of New Orleans, Al.”

“FBI?”

“No, NCIS.”

“You're one of those nozzles?”

“Al.” Sam groaned.

“I'm kidding. They're better than the FBI.”

“I chose ‘em cause I wanted to be reminded of you when I went to work. You’re Navy. I was hoping we’d meet some day.” Sam smiled, knowing it was finally paying off. “Plus, I have access to all Navy records, for the most part.”

“So where are you Sam?”

“New Orleans.”

“You must have some babes with ya, huh?” Al laughed, something similar to when he used to leap and Al’s actions toward the women around where he leaped.

“You could say that.” Sam smiled, remembering his budding relationship with Merri. “Hey is Donna okay? I couldn't find her anywhere in these records.”

“Sam… Donna died.” Al’s voice was somber, knowing how much his friend had loved his wife and how much it had hurt to not know Donna during the project.

“What?”

“Car crash… not long after we closed the project.”

“No…” Sam’s voice trailed off, feeling tears welling up in his eyes at the thought of his wife’s death.

“Sam, she died loving you. That's all you need to know, right?”

“Yeah. I just… I have an ex-wife, a daughter, and a new girl in my life and now I find out my real wife is dead? Oh boy…”

“Sam, why don't you fly up here for a weekend? I can introduce you to the new recruit we were gonna use to find you.”

“You're serious? You were gonna leap another person?”

“Well, I explained myself to the president and he thought we couldn't have an American hero out where we couldn't get him.”

“You're… You're kidding!”

“No I am not. When have I ever lied to you?”

“Bishop, her name’s Ellie Bishop right?”

“You know her? You looked through the file?” Al’s voice was a little confused, how did Sam know who the new leaper was?

“Of course I did, it's my project.” Sam replied, pressing his lips together. “And yeah, I know her. She's one of my friend's students, uh, agents.”

“She's kinda like you.”

“I know. I've met her.”

“Well, make the trip up, we’ll teach you about Project Quantum Leap two point oh.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Maybe you should bring a New Orleans girl with you.”

“Al.”

“Sam. Bring your girl with you, come on.” Al urged, happy that Sam was doing good on his own.

“No, Al. She doesn't know about Sam.”

“You're Sam!”

“Not anymore, remember? Look, maybe next time, but for now this is between us and Bishop. Okay?”

“And Gushie and Beeks and Ziggy and Tina and Dr. Fuller.”

“And them.”

“This weekend?”

“Yeah. I'll come see you this weekend. Where are you at?” He didn’t care how far away it was, he wanted to see his friend.

“Norfolk.”

“Norfolk Shipyard?”

“Yeah well, things've changed. We might transfer the project later, but for now we're in Norfolk. We’ve managed to condense everything to be somewhat more portable.”

“Alright. I'm coming to see you Al.”

“I'll see you then, Sam.” Al laughed, excited to see Sam again for the first time in years. “I'm gonna give you a big ol’ hug.”

“I'm looking forward to it, Al.” He hung up the phone and set it down on the table. Sam leaped out of bed and ran downstairs to the office in nothing but his boxer shorts and an old t-shirt. He didn’t care that LaSalle and Percy were in the office too, he just wanted to see Al again. “Brody! I need a flight for one to Norfolk for this weekend!” Then he heard Percy’s giggle and sighed. “Oh boy…”


	2. Ellie: Welcome Home, Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Living a double life isn't easy, especially when you have to hide it from everyone you know. Well, almost everyone. Double lives aren't easy on marriages, but they sure do forge some strong friendships and find you some great mentors you never knew you had.

"Boss, you can’t be serious!”  
“I’m serious, McGee.” Gibbs replied, eyes narrowing. “Bishop got a call to Norfolk and I’m sending her.”  
“But boss! I’m the one who used to be at Norfolk! If it’s case related, I should go!” Tim replied, trying to figure out who wanted Ellie at Norfolk, none of them had ever met her, at least, so he thought.  
“Tim, I’d tell you, but it’s classified.” Ellie rolled her eyes, sliding her backpack up on to her shoulder. “I’m meeting with someone.”  
“Oh Bish is going on a date!” Tony chimed in, smirking at Ellie. “Is it a cute Navy boy?”  
“An Admiral.” Ellie replied, leaning onto Tony’s desk.  
Tony chuckled, leaning closer to her, his cat like grin only getting wider. “Oh the guy has stars! How old is he? Is he easy on the eyes?”  
Ellie rolled her eyes and slapped Tony upside the back of the head. “He’s 82, Tone. It’s for an old project I was involved in when I was a newbie at NSA.” She waved at Gibbs and McGee, smirking. “Bye bye, boys.” She walked toward the elevator and pressed the button to the main floor. Ellie let out a sigh and pulled out her phone, only to see a text from Al. “What does he want now?” She dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.  
“Hey, Ellie. I need you to get here ASAP.” Al’s voice came through the phone.  
“Sorry but I got held up at NCIS.” She replied, rubbing her forehead. “So what’s the emergency?”  
“We found Sam.” He replied, a light happiness in his voice.  
“In time? So I’m leaping soon?” She asked, slightly nervous. If her co-workers knew about why she might possibly be gone for so long, it would scare them.  
Al laughed. “Yeah, in fact, he’s gonna teach you when he comes to meet us this weekend.”  
“Wait, he’s in this year?”  
“He’s in his body too, says you know him.”  
“I don’t know any Sam Becketts.”  
“Why don’t we surprise you when he comes.” Al’s smirk could basically be heard over the phone. “Just come on down. It’s Friday and you said you had the weekend off anyway.”  
“Fine. Should I book a room or will I be staying at the Project again?” There were usually several cots and blow up beds available along with the couches in some of the offices at the Project.  
“I think you should be planning on staying at the Project.” Al replied. “Gushie wants to run some coding by you.”  
Ellie nodded. “Sounds like a plan.” She replied, stepping out of the elevator and making her way out to her truck. “See you in a few hours.” She hung up the phone and buckled in, knowing it would be a long ride.  
The drive was long, about four hours long at that, so Ellie had some time to think. None of her coworkers knew of the Project, so that would be an issue, considering how long leaps took. Thankfully, bugs in the retrieval software had been fixed too, so Ellie could leap home every time if she had to, and the updates in the reactor really allowed her to leap wherever and whenever, even outside her own life. Ziggy was still mostly the same, but his coding had been updated to be more secure and hack better.  
But the real question on her mind was, how did she know Sam Beckett? Al said he knew her, maybe he was hiding under an alias. She hadn't yet seen a picture of him, Al said it wouldn't help during leaps because he would look like someone else. She wanted to look up his file then and there, but Al wanted her to be surprised, so she would.  
Pulling into Norfolk, she flashed her ID and continued along her way to where they had hidden the project, an old aircraft hanger that supposedly had scrap metal in it. Ziggy of course had been offended to be called scrap metal, but it was just to hide.  
“Honey, I'm home!” Ellie announced as she walked into the old hangar.  
“Hello, Doctor Bishop.” Ziggy’s voice replied.  
“Hello to you too, Ziggy.” Ellie beamed, walking further into the hangar to see the supercomputer. There were walls and doors added into the hangar to give it the illusion of a real building, similar to the old Project headquarters in New Mexico. “How's my favorite computer doing today?”  
“Everything is functional and stable.” Ziggy announced.  
“Aw come on, baby. Tell me what I want to hear.” Ellie smirked, walking over to her office and setting down her things. “You ready to see your old man?”  
“I'm very excited to see Doctor Beckett.” His computerized voice replied, sounding monotone as usual.  
“It's the woman of the hour.” Al’s voice rang out as Ellie walked into the main room.  
“Hey, Al.” Ellie spun around to see the old Admiral, smiling a little. “When does Dr. Beckett get here?”  
“This afternoon.” Al smiled widely, he was clearly over the moon to see his best friend again. “‘He’s got a direct flight to Norfolk and we’re gonna meet him out there.”  
“Ellie!”  
“Coming Gushie!” Bishop dashed toward the programmer, sliding in next to him on the touch screen table that had been updates from it’s previous buttons, monitors, and switches. “What’s up?”  
“The Admiral told you about the codes I wanted to run by you?” Gushie questioned Ellie, to which she nodded. “Well, I think it should be good, but you might need to edit some of it.”  
“Alright, give me the flashdrive and I’ll take it to my office to work on it.” Ellie replied. Gushie handed her the flashdrive and she shoved it in her pocket. She made sure everything on the computer was functioning before she started back to her office.  
Al walked next to Ellie as she kept going toward her office. “You okay, kid?”  
Ellie nodded and shrugged a little. “Yeah, I mean, we can still help and stuff, but the original point of the new Project is gone now.” The original point was to get Sam home, but now that he was home, what were they supposed to do? They had funding for a few more years now, so they had to figure out something to do.  
“You and Sam’ll think of something.” Al chimed in. “You two always do. There’s gotta be something between your ten PhD minds.”  
“Well, we share one PhD.”  
“Right, Quantum Physics. What do you have that he doesn’t?”  
“I have criminology and psychology.” Ellie replied, rubbing her eyes a little. “And I’m working on computer science.” She yawned and looked to Al as she placed the flashdrive in her pocket on her desk. “I’m gonna take a cat nap and then go over Gushie’s code. Wake me up when Dr. Beckett gets here, if I’m not awake.”  
“You got it, kid.” Al replied, closing Ellie’s office door as he left. She sprawled out on the couch and sighed, closing her eyes.  
All she could think about was who Sam actually was and how she knew him. She tried to think of all the people who she didn’t know much about their past, that was a guy. The list was relatively long due to her time at NSA, so that wasn’t very helpful. She ended up drifting off to sleep, only to be awoken by Al’s loud knocks an hour later. She slid on her glasses, having taken off her contacts when she had lay down on the couch to sleep.  
“What?” She snapped at him, opening the door and glaring behind thick rimmed glasses.  
“Oh, you put your glasses on.” Al pointed out, smiling a little. “Anyway, I was just about to go get Sam. Wanna come?”  
Ellie yawned and nodded. “Sure. Let me just grab my coat.” The blonde stretched and grabbed an old leather jacket with warm lining on the inside. She trotted behind Al, sliding the jacket on and zipping it up a little.  
The drive to the airstrip was short, but they still had time to wait so Ellie closed her eyes and started to drift off again. Was Sam Beckett really hiding beneath her nose this whole time? It seemed almost impossible, yet possible at the same time.  
“Bishop!” Al’s voice cut through her thoughts again.  
“Yes?” She asked him, peeking one eye open and glancing at him.  
Al just pointed to a cargo plane and smiled, Ellie knowing exactly what he meant. “C’mon, kid.” He said, standing up out of the car and making his way toward the plane.  
Ellie followed suit, excited to meet her predecessor. “So, do you think I'll like him?”  
“He's just like you. You'll get along great.” Al replied with a soft chuckle. He shoved his hands into his pocket and pulled out a cigar, lighting the end and the placing it in the corner of his mouth.  
“Al!” The voice Ellie could only assume was Sam Beckett’s yelled out. It sounded eerily familiar, maybe she did know him.  
“Sam!” Al replied, watching as Sam ran forward and crashed into Al in a hug. “Oh I've missed you, buddy.”  
“I missed you too, Al.” Sam replied, Ellie unable to see his face for a moment. When Sam turned around to face her, he smiled widely. “Hey, Bishop.”  
Ellie suddenly was at a loss for words, he had been right under her nose the whole time. “Pride?”  
“Actually, it's Doctor Beckett.” Pride smirked, offering his hand to Ellie. “But call me Sam, it's good to see you again.”  
“Ellie, close your mouth, you're gonna catch flies.” Al said, looking at her and chuckling. “And shake the man’s hand.”  
She nodded and followed his orders, surprised when Sam pulled her into a hug when she tried to shake his hand. “We still have to go to Sal’s when you get back in New Orleans, Bishop.”  
“Yeah.” She replied, still in shock. “So, uh…” She wasn't sure what to say, it was all a bit much for her. “You've been right there for three years?”  
“Well to you, yeah, cause we've only known each other for that long. I've be out of the time stream for a long time. Since ‘93.” Sam explained, wrapping an arm around Ellie and Al each.  
“We ended the project in ‘93.” Al recalled.  
“Exactly. Remember how I said I was sick and then I leaped?” Sam inquired of his friend. Al nodded in response. “I leaped into one other person and then I leaped home. I was sent into Witness Protection from there and now I'm here.”  
Ellie smiled a little, intrigued by his story. “But we didn't fix the retrieval software till last year…”  
“But who ever was in control sent me home, that person happened to be me the whole time.” Sam replied again. “How's Beth and the kids, Al?”  
“Good, good.” Al smiled. “She wanted me to retire but not as long as I was looking for you I wouldn't.”  
“He's a hard-head still.” Ellie laughed, making a face at Al teasingly.  
Sam laughed as well. “Well he never changes. That cigar says it all. He still smoked that thing when I was a leaper.” He pointed to the cigar in Al’s hand.  
“What? It's good stuff, Sam.”  
“It still causes damage to your lungs, Al.”  
“Yes, of course Mister MD.”  
“Hey, Sam.”  
“Yeah Ellie?”  
“Ready to come home?”  
“I always have been.”


	3. Sam: Leaping Right Back Into Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Quantum Leaping, you always learn to expect the unexpected and hope for the best. Well, it seems things did go the best way possible without my presence but disaster always seems to strike right when we don't need it or want it.

When he stepped into the lab, it almost felt like he hadn't left. Everything still seemed to feel the same to him.  


“Ziggy, I'm home!” He yelled loudly, much to the chagrin of Ellie and Al, who were right next to him.  


“Hello Doctor Beckett, it's good to see you again.” Ziggy replied, a slight happier tone to her usually monotone voice. “Or should I say Special Agent Dwayne Cassius Pride. I see Doctor Bishop and Admiral Calavicci picked you up.”  


“I'm good with Doctor Beckett.” Sam replied with a soft smile. “I think only Doctor Bishop here’s allowed to call me Pride.” He ruffled Ellie’s hair softly and smiled.  


“Aw, King. Stop it!” Ellie laughed, taking his duffel bag from him. “Why don't you let me take this to my office, you can come if you like.”  


“Sure, why not.” Sam smiled, trailing after Ellie and letting Al make his way back towards the main room. He looked across the hallways and offices as they walked. “Nice place, Bishop.”  


She smiled and nodded. “It was modeled after your project, King, uh, Sam.” She entered her office and set down his bag. “I just gotta read some of Gushie’s code real quick, feel free to wander the premises.”  


Sam sat down on Ellie’s couch, noticing how used it seemed. “Bishop?”  


“Yeah?”  


“Since when did you know quantum physics?” He asked. “And how long have you had a doctorate?” These were two things he had been curious about with Bishop, but couldn't reach her file through NSA classifications he didn't have.  


“I have three doctorates. We share quantum physics, but I also have criminology and psychology.” Ellie explained, removing the flash drive from the computer when she was done. She leaned back in her chair and looked at him. “It was kind of a secret from NCIS. I'm working on a fourth in computer science now.”  


“You had the time with two full time jobs and a divorce?” He asked, knowing Quantum Leap was a large job.  


“Quantum Leap was a project I was brought into right away after joining NSA. I started at the NSA when I was 20, I was a prodigy like you.” Ellie explained, picking up one of the degrees from her wall. “It was an odd combo, but I did quantum physics alongside my criminology and psych degrees.” She stared at it before putting it back in its place. “Then after a while, I went back to analyzing after funding got cut again.”  


“Again?” He questioned, looking to her as she hung the degree back upon the wall.  


“Budget cuts, no secret projects anymore that weren't necessary. You, King, were not necessary enough to bring home after assuming you had been doing it for years.” Her eyes drifted back to him. “Then after my transfer to NCIS, Al called me, told me the Project was open again. This is a… Part time gig. It wasn't easy on the marriage either. I was here when I wasn't on call, most of the time, but he was never home either, so whatever.” Ellie picked up the old picture of her and Jake on the desk. “I sometimes wonder if I could go back and leap and tell him everything. But that would-”  


“Break the rules.” Sam finished, standing up and holding Ellie’s shoulders. “You know the rules?” It almost seemed strange that someone knew the project as well as himself, but she was his successor so it wasn’t as much of a surprise.  


“You wrote ‘em. Like I said, the revival project is based off of yours to the ‘T’.” Ellie set the picture down and looked at him. “Come on, Gushie’s expecting us.”  


As they began their sojourn down the hall to the main room for the project, Sam couldn't help but think about all the things he had done in his Project and how Ellie would do the same in hers. 

“Did you ever know Donna?”  


“No. I only joined the project in 2005.” Ellie replied, humming a little as she walked. “But from what I know, Doctor Eleese sure loved you. Spent the last of her life here trying to bring you home when there wasn’t any funding.”  


“Sounds like Donna.” Sam replied, remembering the good times he had with her. He missed her more than anything, but he had Merri now, so things were okay.  


“How's everyone?”  


“Fine. Merri’s doing good.”  


“I'm glad. You two are so adorable.” The blonde woman giggled, happy for her friends. Her romance may not have worked out, but she was happy at least Merri’s could after all the tough times she had been through. She opened the door to the main room and let Sam in first. “Welcome home, King.”  


Sam stopped as soon as he entered the room, gasping with awe as he did. “W-woah, this is amazing.” The blocky and colorful control panel had been replaced with a sleek touch screen computer table and the chambers were all lined up the same as before. There were computer screens along the walls to monitor the vital signs of the leaper and Ziggy was placed next to one of these, the egotistical supercomputer set up in a larger space with several large monitors. The room was also brighter than it had been at the original project as they were on a military base, they had more power in the modern project. “You guys did all of this?”  


“Yup. Al and me set it all up before Gushie came for the first weekend.” Ellie beamed his praise of her handiwork. “Mostly me, Al supervised and bought lunch.”  


“Well that’s not a surprise.” Sam laughed, nudging Ellie a little. He wrapped an arm around her and grinned. “You’re the best apprentice I never had.”  


“Well, she was your apprentice in a sense, buddy.” Al easily hopped into the conversation, watching the two leapers. “She read all your notes and was able to figure it out. She’s a smart kid for a country girl.” He ruffled her hair and she flushed red.  


“Al, I’m from the country too.”  


“Intelligence comes from the most interesting places.” Al chuckled, removing his hand from Ellie’s head and sighing. “She won’t let me have a cigar in here. She’s getting more stuck up about the control center than you, Sammy.”  


“It’s not stuck up! It’s cause it’s gross to smoke inside.” Ellie snapped back, poking Al in the chest. “And you need to cut back on those cause you’re gonna have a heart attack and scare the hell out of Beth.”  


Sam paused for a second and blinked. Al was still married to Beth, that meant his leap to see Beth had worked! “Yes!” He quietly cheered to himself, but it was still caught by Ellie and Al, who shrugged it off as they continued their little debate. His leaps had actually helped people, and now he knew that for sure. He smiled like the Chesire Cat for a moment before sighing and looking back to his friends.  


Gushie, Beeks, Sammy Jo, and Tina were among the old and new staff roaming the room. He smiled as he embraced all of them for the first time in years. He was happy to see them again, yet that was an understatement. Sam finally felt at home again, back in his own life and not a fake one he was handed and told to memorize.  


“So, Doctor Beckett, you ready to start?” Gushie was smiling widely as he fidgeted with the screen, scanning the flashdrive's contents that Ellie had corrected.  


“Start?”  


“Today is the first official leap and retrieval of Quantum Leap Two point oh.” Gushie explained, thinking Sam would be the leaper.  


“I'll be the one leaping, Gushie.” The blonde explained from next to him.  


Gushie nodded in understanding. "Alright, Doctor Bishop.”  


Sam watched as Ellie slipped into the white outfit, commenting mentally about how it looked like a fencing uniform he had seen Ellie wearing in a picture from her office.  


“All set!” She gave a thumbs up and stepped into the leaping accelerator.  


“Be careful!” Sam called out, not knowing why he had said it.  


“Three, two, one.” Ziggy counted off, before activating the accelerator. It was silent as the vitals quickly changed to someone else’s and then the retrieval was started.  


Everything seemed successful until one of the project doctors started talking. “That's not Doctor Bishop’s vital signs. You activated the retrieval software?”  


“I did.” Gushie replied, turning to face Sam and Al with a worried look.  


“Well, that's not her in the accelerator.” The doctor replied.  


“Admiral, you need to go see where she is.” Gooshie explained to Al, hoping the old naval officer could go in.  


“I can't go in the imaging chamber, I wasn't cleared by Tina on account of my health. You need to send in someone else.” Al explained to Gushie, side-eying Tins a little bit.  


“I'll go.” Sam replied, stepping forward to offer himself to help Bishop. Gibbs would've killed him if Ellie got caught in the temporal spiral like he did, if Gibbs ever found out. He was given a hand link by Gushie and nudged toward the imaging chamber.  


“Good luck, Sam.” Al smiled, patting his friend on the back. “Bring her home.”  


Sam nodded and faced the chamber for the first time in years, sighing a little. “Oh boy…” Then he held his breath and stepped in. 


End file.
